


The Immortal

by brizo



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: BAMF Skull (Reborn), Female Pronouns for Grell Sutcliff, Gen, I got carried away with this fic, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Reaper!Skull, Skull as a Phantomhive, Time Travel, but thats okay because Skull is my literal son
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-01
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-12-22 10:05:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11965143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brizo/pseuds/brizo
Summary: What does forgiveness mean?For Skull de Mort, originally Victor Phantomhive, forgiveness is forever out of reach. After all if even God wants to punish you for your wrong doings forgiveness is not something obtainable.(Features Reaper Skull, Undertaker as Grandpa Phantomhive, and a Skull who could kick anyone's ass [including his own].)





	The Immortal

**Author's Note:**

> what even is this one shot... i ran away with this and wrote this over a period of a week all on days im super sleepy so im sorry if its pretty shitty???
> 
> also VERY VERY OOC. im so sorry, , , ,
> 
> (also im well away that due to one panel in the manga Ciel's grandfather's name is Cedric but this is AU already so WHY NOT.)
> 
> Warning: Spoilers up to chapter 130+ of Black Butler. And I guess just general spoilers for KHR.

He leaned harshly against the door of his bedroom, rubbing small circles in his forehead. Gritting his teeth in anger he let out a frustrated sigh. Opening his eyes he scowled as he put more weight against the door as he slid down to sit on the wooden floor. Tears unwillingly welled up in the corners of his eyes.

 

It was always the same damn thing wasn't it with them? Calling him weak, a lackey. As if. He was the strongest cloud in the world for a reason. The weakest member of the Arcobaleno? If he just put a little more power into his attack, a little more strength into his attacks, they would see he was easily the strongest.

 

He wasn’t human after all. Even if he once was.

 

He laughed bitterly for a couple seconds before picking himself up off the floor. He made his way to the connected bathroom going over to the mirror. His contacts were bothering him all day. Taking his time to take them out he examined himself. 

 

Bright fluorescent green eyes blinked back at him instead of the bright purple eyes everyone else knew he had.

 

Death green eyes.

 

Weakest Arcobaleno huh? 

 

Skull de Mort was the Immortal Stuntman hated by death. That was just a cover though. While in the past England had a horrifyingly low number of Reapers they were now overflowing due to the modern age. It gave the opportunity for more senior Reapers to take undercover positions in the Mortal world. One such Reaper was Skull de Mort.

 

Or rather, Victor Phantomhive.

 

“Silly mortals.” Chuckling he doubled back to his bedroom after putting on his glasses to dig around in his night table for his Death Tablet to see if he was assigned any missions. While he could technically be considered ‘retired’ at this point due to the Curse he was subjected to for over 30 years he could still be assigned high profile cases.

 

Seeing that he  _ had _ been assigned a mission, Skull grinned. Just what he need to unwind from the 6 idiots.

 

* * *

 

Sitting on top of a tall building Skull let out a soft yawn as he leaned back to gaze at the stars in the sky. There were less shown then when he was a child running around the manor yard with his elder brother Vincent. But just gazing at the stars reminded him of the time he would lay in the yard while hiding from the servants with his brother and sister. Those were the happiest times of his life. Back when he was still happy. Back before he committed his sin.

 

Reaching his hand up to the stars as if to grasp them. As if they had the power to reverse time.

 

He regretted it. He didn’t think any Reaper didn’t after living their new reincarnated lives. But at that time he didn’t see any way out but what he had done.

 

His mother Claudia had just died of suspicious circumstances. Vincent, who was in his final year at Weston decided having his brother close at hand was for the best enrolled him despite Victor not being required to go due to being the ‘Spare’.

 

Truthfully he had in life been happy at not having the Earlship forced on him. He was always more happy being outside and not cooped up inside learning. Victor had at times even contemplated running away and joining the circus at some point. 

 

So being forced into attending a strict school with strict rules and even stricter traditions suffocated and made him miserable. He would have been able to handle it, he was a noble after all, but then the bullying started. He was just 15 years old when it began. He was just 16 when it ended.

 

They didn’t care that the person they were tormenting was the younger brother of the soon to be Earl Phantomhive. They just cared that he was an easy target. He was loner and didn’t get along with anyone but his brother and sister and that made him a prime target in their eyes. 

 

And so at the age of 16 just after Vincent performed the Blue Miracle, Victor Phantomhive took his own life in the deserted school Chapel.

 

Though he wouldn’t find out until many years later, when Vincent found out he had taken his own life he was furious letting the infamous ‘Guard Dog’ out. He had searched relentlessly for the reason why his his precious, happy, brother decided to take his own life. Perhaps, Skull had mused once, he had thought ‘suicide’ was a cover up for a murder and the school just wanted to cover its own ass.

 

But the truth was harsh and cruel. The young teen who had appeared so happy was in fact miserable. On top of the crushing sadness from his mother’s premature death the relentless physical and mental abuse from his fellow students had pushed him past the tipping point until all that remained was absolute agony that he saw no way out of. 

 

And so deciding to end his life in the presence of God as if to ask His forgiveness for the sin he was about to commit he committed the crime that still haunts him to this day.

 

He could still remember his thoughts as his hazy brown eyes closed for the last time.

 

_ “Forgive me brother and sister...forgive me God. I just want it all to end.” _

 

And so he took his final breath, just to awaken sometime later. 

 

He wouldn’t lie and say he wasn’t furious. He wanted to get away from the pain of life just to be dragged back and into an immortal one. He had destroyed everything in the sterile hospital like room he had awakened in before breaking down into tears. He had been coaxed from crying by a nice woman with a small sad smile.

 

She had explained everything to him. Suicide was considered one of the highest crimes according to God and so like any crime those who committed it were subjected to punishment. And to someone who just want their existence to end continuing to live an immortal life until they were forgiven, being forced to watch over the souls and deaths of others was considered a harsh punishment.

 

He hated it, resented it, but damn was he a good reaper. The woman he had first saw upon waking Claire Everett told him he didn’t necessarily need to go into Dispatch. There were many didn’t jobs that needed to be filled in the Reapers world. Psychologist, Therapist, Receptionists, Doctors, Forensics… the list was endless. Any job would give him a chance at being forgiven. 

 

_ But, _ she had told him solemnly,  _ Don't get your hopes up. The chances of being forgiven are very slim. There has only been 2 people forgiven in the span of 2000 years. _

 

He had blankly nodded, only half hearing what Claire has said. She had given him a soft sigh before hugging him again. He had soaked up her warmth greedily not being touched like this in a very long time. 

 

She had helped him cope with his sudden circumstance and for that he was eternally grateful. They had gotten close, her helping him with his assignments in the Reaper Academy and eventually they fell into a gentle love. While their relationship had only lasted around 20 years give or take they had parted on good terms and to this day were great friends. She was still his rock.

 

He had joined the Dispatch division and had made a name for himself. Eventually he had found his way to the human world and met a rogue Reaper who simply called himself Undertaker.

 

He was a very queer fellow always wanting a laugh before he said anything of worth to you. Made amazing cookies though.

 

Skull could still remember his first meeting with the silver haired Reaper. He was wandering around London flipping through his Death Book idly remembering the names and times of death of his next assignments when he had come across the rogue Reapers shop. Curious at why he was sensing a strong Reaper where there should be none he had entered the shop.

 

He had startled the other reaper whose eyes had widened (or Skull had assumed as his eyes were completely covered).

 

“Claudia…?” It had been whispered so gently with a hint of intense longing.

 

Skull, still Victor, at that point had startled at the casual address of his mother’s name. He had narrowed his eyes. And replied back stiffly.

 

“No, I am Victor. Victor Phantomhive.”

 

The Undertaker’s grin had stretched wide before he picked up another cookie from his tin. “How amusing,” he had chuckled. “My name happens to be Victor Phantomhive as well.”

 

He had backpedaled so hard, a sharp scowl on his face. He knew from the times he had sat in his mother’s office reading while she did her paperwork as the Countess Phantomhive that he was named after his deceased father. A father who had disappeared or died when he was still in the womb.

 

If this man, who happened to share the same hair color as his sister, was his father it explained a lot of questions when he was younger.

 

After that they had sat down to have a heart to heart which ended up with Victor crying like a baby and Undertaker giving his son a strong pat on the shoulder. They had talked about what had happened since the time Undertaker was forced to part with his family including what had caused his youngest to commit the same crime he had at one point.

 

Victor had never given up the rogue Reapers location and from then on had tea and cookie with his Father every other week when his schedule permitted.

 

His life was very dull up to the point where his brother was murdered. He had been there, outside the house, waiting for his brother and sister-in-law to die. How cruel that they had sent him to collect the soul of his precious older brother.

 

When the flames had cleared and all there left was ashes and the cries of twin children lingering he had squatted down at the blackened husk of what used to be his brother. A tear had escaped as he nicked him with his death scythe. His brother’s Cinematic Record escaped the small cut of the husk and Victor had watched his brother’s life from birth.

 

Finding out he was to be a big brother and then barely a year later finding out once again. Holding baby Victor’s little baby hands, growing up protecting his younger siblings. Playing with them. 

 

And then came when Victor died, how he tore the school apart trying to find out the cause, the reason, Victor thought it was a good idea to kill himself. How he spent hours and days trying to find the bastards who tormented his younger brother and when he did attacking them within an inch of their life, Diedrich blocking the door. 

 

Memories of Vincent as the Guard Dog, getting married to Rachel and the birth of his twin nephews. His life with his nephews, brief glances of his sister and her family. And then his end.

 

With tears streaming down his fake he made the sign of the cross and whispered gently. “Rest in Peace, brother.”

 

He had then retreated to the Reaper World where he immediately requested time off and cried himself to sleep. He had wallowed in his misery until his door was kicked down by his Senior Grell Sutcliff. She had demanded that he get his lazy ass out of bed and get over it. To which Victor had not responded kindly. The fight between the two death scythe’s was still recorded as the most ‘epic’ fight the Division had ever seen.

 

He mourned and then healed. He knew there was something going on with his nephews and father but decided to not get involved any further. The last thing he needed was his mortal sister meeting him.

 

And so he secluded himself from the mortal world for many years taking a temporary position in the Investigation Unit that was stationed in the Reaper World. While he did amazing work in the the IU he still had the itch to go out and collect souls. In some way God was right in that collecting the souls of others and allowing them to pass on was therapeutic. Victor had enjoyed that aspect of job.

 

A little after the Second World War his boss had told him that due to an influx in new reapers he was put of duty in the mortal. Agreeing because he knew no one but his father was ‘alive’ anymore that knew of him he had eagerly packed his bags and moved into an apartment in London and monitored the city for any suspicious deviations to souls.

 

And so he had lived for years, changing location and names every 10 years or so up until the fateful day he had a run in with the man in the iron.

 

Meeting the man who would become the source of many problems in the future was rather anticlimactic for Victor, who at this point was known as Skull (and undercover as a Daredevil motorcyclist), had been weary of the man whose soul was so different from a humans and yet was not a Reaper, Angel,  _ or _ Demon.

He had listened to his request cautiously and knew that the man was talking about the flames that every reaper knew how to call upon almost instinctively. While many didn’t want to use them Skull was a bit of a prodigy in that field and he could understand why the man would call him ‘the Strongest Cloud’ if he was amazing even to other Reapers.

 

So he had agreed not knowing he would be transformed into a child. 

 

It was for this reason when ever he  _ did _ end up meeting his fellow Arcobaleno he always had his helmet on contacts were  _ killer _ on baby eyes after all.

 

Skull sighed yawning one more time as he noticed the sun peeking its way up past tall high rise buildings. Had it already been that much time? Sitting up from where he was lying down he frowned a bit before turning at the sound of expensive heeled shoes stepping on a rooftop that by all means should not be accessible unless they had supernatural abilities.

 

Turning his head he narrowed his bright green eyes at the imagine of his senior Grell Sutcliff.

 

“Grell.” He said warily. The red headed Reaper just grinned to him in response before tossing her hair back.

 

“Vic-chan.”

 

He sighed exhausted. “Don’t call me that please.”

 

She pouted. “But you always let me before.”

 

No, he didnt.

 

“What are you doing here,” he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in agitation. 

 

“Don’t be that way. I just wanted to see how you have been doing undercover. I see you are in Japan a veeeery long way from where you are supposed to be.” She chuckled before going to sit next to him. Her legs and heeled shoes dangling off the side.

 

“I have found… a home here.” 

 

She grinned, lips stretched wide and pointed teeth poking out. “Are we not family enough for you Vic-chan?” 

 

He blinked in confusion for a second before reply. “You all are my family. I mean… a mortal family.”

 

She pouted a bit before gazing at the bright red sunrise looking at it as if it could answer life's mysteries. “Victor,” She says quietly before speaking louder. “Some day they will die. Don’t get too attached.”

 

Skull nodded before frowning. “I know that. But what years they have I will gladly stay with them.” 

 

Especially  _ him _ . Sawada Tsunayoshi. Such a bright soul in a dark world. 

 

Grell’s soft smile was out of character to anyone who didn’t truly know her. But to those she cared about it was a showing of love. 

 

“Just remember Vic-chan to introduce them to us at some point. Or I will paint them in beautiful red.”

 

“You will not kill them Grell-Senpai.” He deadpanned.

 

She laughed. “Of course not with you as their protector.” Standing up she leaned over and kissed Skull’s forehead. “Take care Victor. I am but a call away.” And then with a flourish of a bright red coat she was gone leaving only the sound her heels clicking on the roof.

 

Skull stood up as well and with one last look at the sunrise he walked away.

 

* * *

 

When the curse was broken all the Arcobaleno had pooled together money to buy a house to live in while they were staying in Japan. While only a few of them were permanently living there (Reborn was there at least half the week and Verde had set up his new lab in Namimori. Skull had long ago decided Japan was his new base of operations) this week found all the Arcobaleno in Japan due to a party the Vongola had set up.

 

As such anyone of importance to the tenth head was going to be in attendance.

 

Skull woke up yawning his hair in disarray. Rubbing his eyes of sleep he shuffled his way to the bathroom to wash his face and apply his contacts. He had stayed out way too late last night. The party was at 3 pm and it was already 1:30 pm. If he was late even by a minute he knew that bastard Reborn would shoot him.

 

Not that it could kill him as he was already dead. Also the fact that the only thing that could kill a Reaper was their own Scythe and like hell he would show his own to anyone he wasn't suicidal… anymore at least.

 

Applying his contacts he blinked and then frown a little at the now purple irises. It was still so bizarre to see purple in the place of green or even his original brown. Tugging at a lock of purple hair he frowned deeper. While purple  _ was _ his natural hair color, his natural purple hair was a darker shade and closer to black then anything else.

 

He tched before applying his makeup that covered up all the scars he had gotten in his career before penciling on the tear drop underneath his eye.

 

Satisfied with his face he made his way to his bedroom to dig around in the dressers for a comfortable pair of jeans casual dress shirt. While it was not something he would typically wear in front of the others after last night he just wanted to be comfortable for the day.

 

Succeeding in his quest he dressed quickly. It was now 2:30 and he had to be at the local park in 30 minutes.

 

_ Shit _ .

 

Rushing a bit he grabbed his keys off his night table and exited the room. Making his way to the garage he put the key into his motorcycle and started. Backing his way out of the driveway he drove.

 

At 2:50 he arrived at the party. After parking he cautiously made his way to the others before adopting his fake persona.

 

“The Great Skull-sama is here!” He announced loudly. He heard a couple snorts but no one replied to him. Inwardly he frowned. He thought he had gotten over the fact no one liked him. Guess not.

 

“A-Ano… Skull-san?” A somewhat timid voice asked. Skull turned around with a small frown to see Tsuna smiling. “Welcome!”

 

Skull’s eyes widened before he hurriedly hugged the other. “Thank you Tsuna! The Great Skull-sama is very happy to be invited.”

 

“I… I couldn't  _ not _ invite you Skull-san! You’re my friend too!”

 

Skull felt a warmth bloom in his heart. While he knew Tsuna could never be his Sky (his Sky dying sososo long ago… his precious older brother… his flames stubbornly refused to bond to another sky) it was nice to pretend sometimes.

 

“Thank you Tsuna…” 

 

Tsuna smiled one more time before detaching his himself from the hug. He waved a bit before he moved to greet the next guest.

 

Skull, now in a better mood, moved around to one of the table holding refreshments and made to pour himself some soda before a hand landed on his shoulder. Stiffening in surprise at the sudden touch he turned around quickly, perhaps too quickly, as Reborn just raised an eyebrow in response.

 

“Lackey.” He simply said.

 

“R-Reborn-senpai!!” He quickly stuttered clutching at the plastic cup so hard it was now no longer a cup at all.

 

Reborn laughed a little. “You were almost late.” 

 

Skull pouted. “I overslept.” Like hell he was telling him he spent over an hour in the bathroom getting up.

 

“Oh really?” 

 

Suddenly Skull heard the voice of Colonnello calling out and suddenly Skull was surrounded by his fellow Arcobaleno members. He thought he heard the voice of Tsuna and his lightning guardian somewhere around them. Voices were screaming and yelling to the point it was too much for Skull. 

 

A bright pink smoke encased them and Skull coughed loudly as he was suddenly lifted and then thrown again on the ground.

 

Blinking his eyes he noticed his surroundings had changed. Where there was once a japanese park surrounded in blooming Sakura trees they were now in front of fountain (and some even  _ in _ the fountain) and in front of a rather large manor.

 

A manor Skull knew almost intimately.

 

It was the manor he had grown up in.

 

Blinking his eyes in utter bafflement he turned to the others who were still in a daze themselves and trying to pull themselves out of it.

 

“Where the hell are we?” He heard Reborn growl. 

 

“Hie!! I don’t know Reborn. Lambo was playing with his new upgraded Bazooka and I was telling him not too and then this happen and…!”

 

“It is okay Tsunayoshi-san.” The ever calm voice of the Storm Arcobaleno reassured the young mafia Don. 

 

Skull sighed. And then the door to the manor opening butlers and maids surrounded them, guns in hand.

 

“Woah.” Colonnello said. 

 

The servants then parted to reveal someone who made Skull’s breath hitch in his throat. There he was, alive, breathing, his brother. His flames were reaching trying to connect to the Sky in front of him.

 

Vincent was frowning severely looking at each of them. He knew he was probably thinking that they were all in weird dress (except probably Fon and Reborn) and then his eyes came upon Skull.

 

He was just waiting for it to happen and his brother didn’t disappoint him in the least.

 

“Victor….?” He said with such disbelief. And of course Skull could not fault him. After all to his brother he had been dead at the very least 10 years at this point. He knew his brother had knowledge of the supernatural; after all if you are submerged in the underworld there was no way to not know it. So he assumed his brother, his dead for many years brother, being here must be because of that reason.

 

He just didn't know how.

 

“Vincent…” He said quietly causing the Arcobaleno closest to him, Mammon and Verde, to give him a questioning look, at least he assumed for Mammon.

 

“You’re dead.” He said bluntly causing the other’s stares to pierce him in confusion. He smiled sadly.

 

“I am.”

 

Vincent blinked as if wanting to cry. But he knew the mask will not crumble until they are alone in private. If they even have any time that is.

 

“Stand down.” Vincent told his servants and like a switch was flipped gone were the hostile weapons and intentions. The servants came up to them and asked for coats and they all refused.

 

“Come Victor… and friends.” He eyed the others briefly. Moving through the house he could see their old butler Tanaka standing guard in front of a door which he could guess housed his sister-in-law and nephews. The old butler looked at him as if he had seen a ghost and Skull realized he was.

 

Coming to a spare room he motioned his late brother’s friends into it and then gestured for his brother to follow him in. Skull did so with no hesitance.

 

Vincent walked around the room until he came to the wide window gazing out at it where he could now see his nephews, who had been released from their confinement, were playing with the family dog.

 

Skull looked at the scene with a sense of detachment. This was not his life anymore, has not been for many many years. And yet he could feel his flames once more reaching out, almost desperately this time, for the warmth and harmonization of his brother’s pure Sky.

 

“Victor,”His brother said turning around. With a start he could see tears welling out of his brothers eyes. His brother who was normally so cool and collected was crying. “Why are you here?”

 

What should Skull say? That him being here was a mistake and that he never wished to see his brother again? Never see him alive, whole, and not the burned husk that in the end even his own brother couldn’t recognize? 

 

“I…” He couldn’t think of anything. What does one say to the brother he left behind when he committed suicide close to 10 years ago? Swallowing he breathlessly said “,I’m sorry.”

 

“Sorry?” Vincent said in disbelief. 

 

“I-I’m so sorry…” And now it was Skull who was crying. Large tears fell down his cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”

 

“Victor,” Vincent said as he stepped closer to his brother. Vincent stopped for but a second and then walked a bit faster. Throwing his arms around the shorter man he hugged his brother close.

 

“There is nothing to be sorry about. In the end,” Vincent started holding him closer. “In the end I should have protected you better. I failed as a brother.”

 

“Don’t say that…” Skull whispered. “Don’t ever say that. You were the best brother anyone could ask for.”

 

Vincent held him tighter at that statement. 

 

* * *

 

Skull had been gone for close to thirty minutes at this point and Reborn was getting testy. Drumming his fingers on the wooden table they were all sat at he growled at Mammon who was sitting next to him counting what money they had had with them at the time they were transported to wherever they were.

 

It was obviously England considering the accent the humans they had come in contact spoke with. And Skull obviously knew the man that appeared to be the head of the manor.

 

Victor. That was what the man had called Skull. Was it possible much like Reborn and Mammon Skull had changed his name as well? It must have been before they were ever selected as Arcobaleno considering Reborn and Mammon had both gone by their real names during the tests.

 

Reborn looked at and saw Yuni in front of him. Her smile was sweet as she stood there.

 

“Yuni?”

 

“Don’t worry Uncle.” Her soft voice told him. Her eyes sparkled of knowledge unknown to everyone else. She looked to the door and his gaze followed. “Everything will be explained.”

 

Skull stepped into the room, the man they saw earlier following after him. Skull looked down, eyes red. Was the lackey crying? His hands tightened. Sure the lackey was a lackey but he was still  _ his _ lackey.

 

“I owe you an explanation.” Skull said quietly. He looked at the unknown man. “All of you.”

 

“Victor if you don’t want to explain I will not force an explanation out of you.” The man said soothingly.

 

“No, big brother, you deserve to know the most.”

 

Brother? Reborn’s eyes squinted as he tried to spot the similarities. They shared the same nose and the lips looked quite similar as well. And perhaps if Skull had put a brush through his hair that morning their hair would look similar as well.

 

Reborn could believe it.

 

“Brother?” Verde questioned pushing his glasses up. Skull blinked.

 

“Yes this is my older brother. May I introduce Earl Vincent Phantomhive?”

 

Earl?!

 

Yuni skipped forward all the enthusiasm of a 5 year old.

 

“Hello Mister Vincent.” She said eyes wide in innocence. Skull knew she was not innocent at all.

 

“Oh hello young lady and who might you be?” Vincent said with all the patience of a parent.

 

“I am Yuni Giglio Nero. These people behind me are my Family.” The others took this as their cue to introduce themselves. After all their introductions they all found themselves sitting around the large table.

 

“I shall begin then. It all started when our mother Claudia died…”

 

He told his story of struggling with his depression with his mother dead, going to that horrible school and dealing with horrible classmates. He told of how he tried to hold on for his siblings, for better days in the future. He told of how he decided on the day where everyone was gone for the cricket tournament how he would finally take his life in the empty chapel.

 

“And so… I died.” He admitted softly. The arcobaleno next to him were tense. He died? But he was standing next to them. And yet… they had seen it hadn’t they? Skull coming back from attacks that anyone else wouldn’t have survived. They had assumed it was the cloud’s propagation taking effect and yet…?

 

“I didn’t expect to wake up again though…” And he continued, telling his story as a Reaper. He left out the part about his brother’s death as knowing your personal future was not a good idea.

 

At the end Yuni was in tears and sitting on Skulls lap. She hid her face in his shirt. “Skull…. Please don’t feel that way anymore. We are family aren’t we?”

 

Skull’s eyes softened. “Don’t worry principessa,” He said soothingly. “I promised your grandmother and mother both I will protect their family. I am not going anywhere I promise.”

 

He turned to Victor who was just staring aghast. “You… you’re like  _ him _ then?” He said referencing to his information broker, Undertaker. Perhaps he should have mentioned said Undertaker was their father?

 

Nah.

 

“Indeed Vincent.” He smirked. 

 

The rest of the Arcobaleno weren’t doing better. He saw Colonnello and Reborn both staring in shock. Tsuna was trying to shake Reborn out of said shock. Fon was trying to act calm but he could tell even the storm was upset over the story. Lal was trying to comfort her fiance but looking at Skull with a bewildered look.

 

A knock sounded on the door and Vincent bade them enter. It was Tanaka with the young heirs.

 

Ciel ran up to his father immediately but his twin was shyer standing behind his father’s chair trying to hide.

 

Skull knew they probably didn’t have much time left before they were whisked away to the future once more. 

 

Skull never knew what happened to his nephews. He had heard tales about one of them surviving (and he knew the other was being kept alive by his Father). He knew it was the shyer twin that had survived what they went through.

 

Skull walked up to the younger brother a soft smile on his face as his ruffled the boy’s hair. “Hello little Phantomhive. It’s so nice to meet you.” The boy looked at him, blinking. “Hey I got a little advice for you okay? No matter how dark the night seems to be the sun will always rise. Things will get better. So always go forth with a smile. Can you do that for me?”

 

The boy leaned in closer to his father shyly before smiling a little bit.

 

“Yes…” Victor Phantomhive said softly, a small smile on his face. “The future may be dark but always believe.” He looked at Ciel who was frowning in concern for his younger brother.

 

“You too Ciel. Hold family closely because you may never know when you may lose them.”

 

And now Vincent was frowning.

 

“Victor…”

 

And then pink smoke filled the room and they were back to the future. The park was filled with chaos as they were suddenly surrounded by everyone.

 

“Tenth! Are you alright?! Everyone disappeared except for a younger Skull-san! This Skull-san was so weird he had bright green eyes and was holding a Scythe and..!” Gokudera rapidly spoke.

 

Skull sighed before giving a fond smile at the chaos their arrival brought.

 

His gaze swept over all the new family he had a soft fond smile tugging at his lips. 

 

_ Vincent… I will always miss you my precious brother, my sky. I have a new family.... I am so happy I could see you one more time. _ He touched his chest. His flames had calmed down and he could feel them curiously poking around at the skies present before wrapping themselves almost cautiously around Tsuna’s. Tsuna’s eyes briefly met his once they did and he swore he could see a smile on the teen’s face.

 

Skull, Victor, wanted to laugh in pure happiness. Tears once more welled up in the corner of his eyes. His hands reached for his mouth. 

 

These tears were of happiness. 

 

It was at this point in time that Skull did not care if he was forgiven by God. His life was perfect just the way it was.

 

\--

 

“Hm…” A figure standing on top of a building across hummed out. Their companion leaned against a lawnmower and whistled. 

 

“It seem’s Senpai that Victor has finally realized what it takes to be forgiven.”

 

“He doesn’t realize it Ronald.” Grell Sutcliff commented shrugging. “For most of us Reapers there is always something holding up back. My love of violence, your insecurity in yourself. But Vic-chan seems to come to terms with himself and his life. He is happy and realizes he is allowed to ask for forgiveness.”

 

Grell frowned closing her eyes. “The way to forgiveness is different for everyone. Maybe I’ll be forgiven the day I am sorry for all the bloodshed I’ve caused. Or you will be forgiven the day you realize you are allowed to be loved. Victor realized that he is allowed to have a family and he is allowed to be happy in life. That is why he will be forgiven. Perhaps this will be the last time we see him and indeed if anyone deserves to be forgiven by God it's Victor. And it appears he will be.”

 

“Aww~ I’ll miss him.” Ronald whined out. Grell gazed towards her companion. “I will miss him as well. Ah… but it’s always a happy day when a Grim Reaper is allowed to pass on. I don’t think Victor will pass on though until the rest of his family.”

 

She looked one more time to find Skull surrounded by everyone asking questions. She sighed shrugging once more.  _ All the better, _ she thinks to herself. She turns to her companion and grins.

 

“Come Ronald duty awaits. If we don’t actually complete this task Will-chan will veeeery angry.”

 

A second later and the roof is empty as if no one was there to begin with.


End file.
